Rotatable bin



May Z5, 1937. P. H. FRlcK vROTA'l'ABLdl BIN Filed oct. 22,1954

2 Sheets-Sheet 1 lnlnllAllnLuu IN- V E-T Paal H nel:

Patented May 25, 14937 l UNITED STATES PATENT. OFFICE m'rra'mmn am Paul H. Frick, Ncrbcrth, Pa., assigncc tc The Frick-Gallagher Mfg. Co., Wcllston, `vOhio, a corporation ot YOhio Appncancn octchcr 2z, 1934, seran Nc. 149,366

1 claims. (ci. 2x1-131) This invention relates to rotatable bins of the that each bin section may be rotatable without sort used in tool rooms and store rooms and rehaving any of the weight of superposed bin sectail stores for storage'and display purposes, and tions carried by it. Each bin section comprises has i'or its object to increase the strength, space a bottom portion I I provided with a small pe- 5 economy, and field of usefulness of such bins, ripheral flange I2 extending all around the bot- 5 without a corresponding increase in size or weight `tom portion. Dividers or partitions I3 are se- 01' the bin. cured to the bottom portion I'I by a laterally bent Another object is to provide a rotatable-bin secnange, and these dividers are also secured to the tion which is especially adapted for use on shpsleeve l5 in a similar manner. A strengthening 0 board or on eld service trucks and the like, where rib Il adjacent the periphery of the bottom por- 10 the bins are subjected to considerable jarring or tion is generally arranged to extend downward swaying. q or in an opposite direction to the way the ange Heretofore rotatable bins have been designed I2 extends. V in a manner which has not been as economical Within the sleeve I5 are spaced bushings I6 5 of space as is the present bin. One rotatable bin and I'I, each spot welded to the sleeve and serv- 15 section formerly on the market has had a front ing as guides or bearings for contact with the l flange that was applied under tension to the cirpost I0. The lower bushing I'I is arranged above cular bottom portion,v sometimes resulting in a the bottom of the bin in order to provide a rebuckling oi the bottom out of shape due to the cess within which antifriction bearings are o tension of`r this front ange and irrespective of mounted, these bearings comprising an upper race 20 theload on the bottom. This prior bin section ring I8, balls or rollers I3 held within a cage 20, had dividers which were not secured tothe front and a lower supporting and race ring 22. A pin a'nge. Under this invention these disadvan- 2| extending through the post I0 supports the tages have been eliminated and the bottom of l, lower ring.22 and the part which encloses the 5 the bin section strengthened without recourse to antifriction bearing means. 25

the tensioned front flange but having the bottom Instead oi' the bin section front being a tenportion not only provided with a strengthening sioned and non-removable band, the bin-section rib but also supported between the dividers by fronts of this invention are removable between means of a removable front flange which is sepairs of dividers I3 and also adapted to assist in 0 cured to the dividers. v supporting the peripheral bottom portion between 30 Additional improvements havemade this bin such dividers. ,A adapted to the rigid requirement for space econ- The bin section front in this invention is in omy aboard a. ship and also provided each of the V parts or sections, each section 25 constituting a rotatable bin sections with latching means to reremovable front ange which is secured at each 5 tain it against Swinging 0r swaying with the end to a divider I'3 by means of the bolts 2G, and 35 ship or vehicle on which it is carried. also secured to the ilange' I2 by means of bolts Referring to the drawings:y .21.7 As shown in Fig. i4, each front for a bin Fig. 1 is a top plan view of a preferred emsection is provided with a flange 2Bby means of bodiment of this invention, with partsv broken which it is removably .secured to one of the diaway to show one of the drawer units in place. viders. The height of the front 25 depends on 40 Fig. 2 isa side or elevation view showing two the nature of Vthe contents for whichl the bin of the rotatable bin sections of this invention. section is adapted, and where the space between Fig. 3 is an enlarged section on the line 3--3 the pair of dividers I3 carries a drawer section of Fig. 1. Y the front 25 is removed. As shown in Fig. 3, Fig. 4 is an enlarged section on the line 4 4 bent-over anges 29 and 30 provide means by 45 of Fig. 3. which cards or other appropriate markers or Fig. 5 is a section'on the line 5-5 of Fig. 1. identication means may be attached for eachf, Fig. 6 shows a rotatable bin of this invention bin section. Where the space between the pair adapted for use on a ship or truck of dividers I3 is larger than is needed,`the sector I Fig. 7 is a side view partially in' section `of one may be found subdivided by an additional parti- 50 of the bin sections in Fig. 6. tion or removable divider 32, which is bracedfto Fig. 8 is a top plan view of a pair of juxtaposedthe sleeve I5 b'y the intermediate, divider supbins for marine or truck use; l Vports 3| illustrated. The partitions 32 have A number of rotatable bin sections are sepbottom flanges similar to the bottom flanges 24 -arately supported on an upstanding post I0 so on the dividers I3 but generally the 'partitions 55 32 are only bolted to the bottom. portion II as illustrated, instead'of being spot welded thereto as are the anges 24 of the permanent dividers. Where desirable the dividers I3 may also be bolted to the bottom II instead of having their lower ange 24 spot welded to the bottom. but the spot welding is preferable in order that these dividers I3 may constitute a supporting means for the bottom portion Il at all times. I

Fig. 3 shows how the lateral flange 23 at the rear of each divider is also preferably spot welded to the sleeve, though here again bolts may be used where it is necessary to obtain wider storage space than is available between a pair of the dividers I3, as illustrated in Fig. l. i

A housing 33, shown. in Figs. 1, 2 and 5, is shaped for insertion between a pair of dividers I3 to support a plurality of drawers ,35. The drawer housing 33 is provided with a front depending fiange 34 of a height suiicient to enable the bottom drawer of the unit to be opened over the top of the front ilange I2. In order that the drawer housings may also assist in supporting bottom Vportion I I, the lateral walls of these housings may be secured to the dividers I3 by vbolts 4I, and also the ilanges I2 and 34 may be fastened by bolts 40. To the top of each drawer compartment adjacent the front is secured an angle piece 36 for the purpose of engaging the rear wall of a drawer in order to prevent the drawer being pulled all the way out and the contents becoming spilled. Each drawer is preferably provided with handles 31 below which is mounted a card o r label holder 38, as shown in Figs. 1 and 5. A drawer may have partitions 39 subdividing its contents in almost any manner desired. Ease of adjustment in the partition arrangement may be obtained by having the longitudinal .partitions 42 provided with stamped lugs 43 between which transverse vpartitions 44 may be slidable.'

lThe bin sections in Fig. 6 are preferably simi- -V lar to those in the preceding figures exceptthat a number of drawer units are used between the dividers, each 'rotatable bin section being pro.

vided with a latching means to hold it against rotation. Since the' supporting post Il) may be subjected to substantial flexural stresses vwhen A supporting a number of heavily loaded .bins on a vehicle or vessel encountering 'rough travel, it is desirable to have the post base 45 secured to the iioor and at the top have the post provided with "a cap 46 secured to a ceiling beam 41 or other will only convenient and substantially rigid portion. The bottom portion II of each rotatable bin section lis still, provided with a strengthening rib ,I4 and front flange I2. Each drawer 48 has a handle 49byl means of which it may be lidfted over the front flange I2. To anchor the drawer against thrusts upon the front flange I2`a hook 5U secured to the sleeve I is bent over the rear wall of the drawer, and in order to disengage' the rear wall from the hook 50 it is necessary to raise the front of the drawer section by the aforementioned amount sufficient to clear the front flange I2. Below the bottom portion II each rotatable bin 'section is ,provided with a latch 5I engaging a recess 53 in the post I0, a spring 52 cooperating with the bottom II and a collar on the latch 5I continually urges 'the latch inwardly toward the post III. Ordinarily the post is-provided with but onerecess 53 for each bin section so that it be latched with the handle 54 at the front.

The latch does not substantially oppose rota-v 54 is pulled out against the action of the spring 52 and the bin section rotated to obtain access to the desired drawer 48. Fig. 6 shows how the latch handles 54 of each bin are preferably alined.

A modified form of latching means is illustrated in Fig. 8 where the spring pressed latch engages Vao recess inthe peripheral flange I2 instead of engaging the post I0. In Fig. 8 the peripheries of two rotatable bi'n sections are adjacent one another, the intermediate space containing a supporting column 55, in which are mounted latches 56 and 51 shaped to engage a recess or perforation in the ange I2. Each of'these latches engages an inclined groove 58 in a block on the control rod 80 so that when the rod is pulled forward the grooves 58 cause thelatches 56 and 5'I'to be retracted to permit rotation of either. or both bin sections. Upon release of the control rod the spring 59 acting upon the flange at the end of the spring pushes the `rod back to the position shown in Fig. 8 so that the latches may both engage their perforations simultaneously. Instead of having both engage simultaneously it will be understood thatother embodiments may be used `in-which each latch may separately engage its perforation irrespective of the position of the other latch.

Among the advantages of this invention may be enumerated the greater strength and weight carryingbapacity of a rotatable bin section with out corresponding increase in weight, due to the bottom portion being stiffened by means of vthe strengthening rib I4 and the peripheral flange I2. There is no danger of the bottom portion becoming distorted out of shape by the tension of any front iiange. Instead of a non-removable front ilangefthe removable'bin'front also assists in supporting the bottom portion inasmuch as it is bolted to the dividers I3 and to the peripheral flange I2. The sleeve I5 supports the bottom portion II through the dividers I3. The intermediate dividers or partitions 32 are substantially rigid since they are secured to the bottom portion and also secured against bending by means of the divider supporting members 3| which are spot welded onto the sleeve I5. With the removable front for .a b in section the space between a pair of dividers may be substantially open or closed to the height desired. The bin sections intended for carrying drawer units do not have to be constructed differently from those carrying the fronts y25. The front flange I2 is generally made small,

only about three-eighths of an inch or less in height. I'he latching means illustrated in Figs. 6,

Abin sections are separately mounted on antifrlction rollers so that no one bin section has to carry the weight of a superposedsection in turning.

If desired it will be understood that the drawers shown in Fig. 5 need not be inclined rearwardly as illustrated but may be placed nat by doing away with the bottom supporting ange 34 and The embodiment drawerthis would necessitate raising the drawer.

housing as well as the drawer to clear the front flange I2. Y

' 'I'he hook 50 in Fig. 7 is preferably of the size and shape so that substantially more tilting or raising of the front of the drawer is necessary to free .the drawer from the hook than is necessary toclear the front flange I2. In this way if the drawer 48 should be lightly loaded and subjected to shocks which might cause it to bounce high enough to clear the flange I2, the hook Sil will still retain it from coming out. In other words, the hook 50 is disengaged only when the front of the drawer is lifted more than high enough to clear the ange I2 so that this hook may be the functional equivalent of a much higher v flange I2. In Fig. 6 `it may be desirable to use an angle stop on the underside of the revolving bin just above the drawer, for the purpose analogous to that of the stop 36 in Fig. 5. Such a stop need only be placed at the front or adjacent the latch handle 54, since any drawerA when withdrawn is pulled out only after the bin section has been rotated to bring it to the front. In such a case the use of a stop near the front will engage the rear of the drawer to prevent its fallimi: out.

The drawers I8 instead of being of solid sheet metal are generally provided with perforations of a size to enable the contents to be visible and yet small enough to prevent any of the contents falling out. or a suitable mesh or screen may be used for the sides of these drawers.

1. A rotatable bin comprising a bin section bottom adapted to rotate about a supporting post axis, at least one stamped strengthening rib extending around said post and in said bin section bottom adjacent but inward of the periphery thereof, and a peripheral integral strengthening flange on said section bottom extending in the opposite direction to said rib, a sleeve surrounding said post axis and to which the bottom is attached, and divider positioning and supporting means secured to said sleeve for engaging the opposite faces of a divider above said section bottom.

2. A rotatable bin comprising a bin section bottom adapted to rotate about a supporting post, a stamped strengthening rib formed in said section bottom adjacent but inward of the periphery thereof, a peripheral, integral flange on said section bottom extending in the opposite direction to said rib, a sleeve surrounding said post and to which the bottom is attached, divider positioning means secured to said sleeve, dividers secured to said sleeve and bottom, and a removable bottom supporting bin section front of less than degrees in extent, secured adjacent each end to dividers which are secured to the sleeve, and sail bin section front being alsol secured to the peripheral flange on the bottom.

3. A rotatable bin section comprising a bottom, a sleeve to which the bottom is secured to be rotatable. about a post axis, dividers each separately secured to said sleeve and bottom, a plurality of bin section fronts removable with respect to said dividers and each of which is removably secured to a divider adjacent each end -of the front and also removably secured tothe 4. The combination with a pair of spaced posts about each of which a plurality of rotatable' bin sections are mounted, of a third 'post iixedly secured about midway between said pair of posts, means adjacent the top and bottom of each of said pair of posts for positioning them, a spring pressed detent means carried by 'thethird post for latching each rotatable bin section against rotation, and means for unlatching a pair of rotatable bin sections on about the same level, from a position back of the front of said bin sections.

5. A bin section adapted to be mounted on a post for rotation about the post axis, said bin section comprising a bottom portion, a sleeve through which the post axis passes and to which the bottom is secured, dividers having flanges secured to said sleeve and bottom for supporting said bottom portion, the radially outer upper edge portion of said dividers being out of contact and unsupported against flexing, means adjacent the periphery of the bottom portion for stiffening the bottom between said dividers, and means for removably securing another divider to said bottom portion intermediate said first mentioned dividers, and for bracing the inner end of said last mentioned divider against ilexing of the upper portion of the divider.

6. A rotatable bin section comprising a bottom adapted to rotate about a central supporting post axis, acentral sleeve about said Apost axis, dividers each angularly spaced and held by said sleeve and bottom, the top edge of said dividers being unsupported, and a removable bin section front having end flanges bent to lie contiguous the outer portion of said dividers, fastening means holding 'said flanges against radially outward movement and means for securing said bin section front to said bottom between said end flanges and dividers.

7. A rotatable bin section comprising a bot-- tom adapted to rotate about a central supporting post axis, dividers each angularly spaced from the others and held by said bottom, a removable bin section front having end anges bent to lie contiguous only the outer portion of a pair of dividers, and means cooperating with said pair of dividers adjacent their outer rends for vholding said end flanges against radial outward movement and for Asupporting' said front at least in part independently of said bottom.

PAUL H. FRICK.

DifstzlJilIsaEial 2,081,856.-Paul H. Frick, Narberth, Pa.

1937. Disclaimer ,filed September 10, 1941, by the Gallagher Manufacturing Oompany. Hereby enters this disclaimer to claims 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, and 7 of said Letters Patent. [lcz'al Gazette September 30, 1.941.]

RorATABLE BIN. Patent dated MayV 25 assignee, The Frickdrawerthis would necessitate raising the drawer.

housing as well as the drawer to clear the front flange I2. Y

' 'I'he hook 50 in Fig. 7 is preferably of the size and shape so that substantially more tilting or raising of the front of the drawer is necessary to free .the drawer from the hook than is necessary toclear the front flange I2. In this way if the drawer 48 should be lightly loaded and subjected to shocks which might cause it to bounce high enough to clear the flange I2, the hook Sil will still retain it from coming out. In other words, the hook 50 is disengaged only when the front of the drawer is lifted more than high enough to clear the ange I2 so that this hook may be the functional equivalent of a much higher v flange I2. In Fig. 6 `it may be desirable to use an angle stop on the underside of the revolving bin just above the drawer, for the purpose analogous to that of the stop 36 in Fig. 5. Such a stop need only be placed at the front or adjacent the latch handle 54, since any drawerA when withdrawn is pulled out only after the bin section has been rotated to bring it to the front. In such a case the use of a stop near the front will engage the rear of the drawer to prevent its fallimi: out.

The drawers I8 instead of being of solid sheet metal are generally provided with perforations of a size to enable the contents to be visible and yet small enough to prevent any of the contents falling out. or a suitable mesh or screen may be used for the sides of these drawers.

1. A rotatable bin comprising a bin section bottom adapted to rotate about a supporting post axis, at least one stamped strengthening rib extending around said post and in said bin section bottom adjacent but inward of the periphery thereof, and a peripheral integral strengthening flange on said section bottom extending in the opposite direction to said rib, a sleeve surrounding said post axis and to which the bottom is attached, and divider positioning and supporting means secured to said sleeve for engaging the opposite faces of a divider above said section bottom.

2. A rotatable bin comprising a bin section bottom adapted to rotate about a supporting post, a stamped strengthening rib formed in said section bottom adjacent but inward of the periphery thereof, a peripheral, integral flange on said section bottom extending in the opposite direction to said rib, a sleeve surrounding said post and to which the bottom is attached, divider positioning means secured to said sleeve, dividers secured to said sleeve and bottom, and a removable bottom supporting bin section front of less than degrees in extent, secured adjacent each end to dividers which are secured to the sleeve, and sail bin section front being alsol secured to the peripheral flange on the bottom.

3. A rotatable bin section comprising a bottom, a sleeve to which the bottom is secured to be rotatable. about a post axis, dividers each separately secured to said sleeve and bottom, a plurality of bin section fronts removable with respect to said dividers and each of which is removably secured to a divider adjacent each end -of the front and also removably secured tothe 4. The combination with a pair of spaced posts about each of which a plurality of rotatable' bin sections are mounted, of a third 'post iixedly secured about midway between said pair of posts, means adjacent the top and bottom of each of said pair of posts for positioning them, a spring pressed detent means carried by 'thethird post for latching each rotatable bin section against rotation, and means for unlatching a pair of rotatable bin sections on about the same level, from a position back of the front of said bin sections.

5. A bin section adapted to be mounted on a post for rotation about the post axis, said bin section comprising a bottom portion, a sleeve through which the post axis passes and to which the bottom is secured, dividers having flanges secured to said sleeve and bottom for supporting said bottom portion, the radially outer upper edge portion of said dividers being out of contact and unsupported against flexing, means adjacent the periphery of the bottom portion for stiffening the bottom between said dividers, and means for removably securing another divider to said bottom portion intermediate said first mentioned dividers, and for bracing the inner end of said last mentioned divider against ilexing of the upper portion of the divider.

6. A rotatable bin section comprising a bottom adapted to rotate about a central supporting post axis, acentral sleeve about said Apost axis, dividers each angularly spaced and held by said sleeve and bottom, the top edge of said dividers being unsupported, and a removable bin section front having end flanges bent to lie contiguous the outer portion of said dividers, fastening means holding 'said flanges against radially outward movement and means for securing said bin section front to said bottom between said end flanges and dividers.

7. A rotatable bin section comprising a bot-- tom adapted to rotate about a central supporting post axis, dividers each angularly spaced from the others and held by said bottom, a removable bin section front having end anges bent to lie contiguous only the outer portion of a pair of dividers, and means cooperating with said pair of dividers adjacent their outer rends for vholding said end flanges against radial outward movement and for Asupporting' said front at least in part independently of said bottom.

PAUL H. FRICK.

DifstzlJilIsaEial 2,081,856.-Paul H. Frick, Narberth, Pa.

1937. Disclaimer ,filed September 10, 1941, by the Gallagher Manufacturing Oompany. Hereby enters this disclaimer to claims 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, and 7 of said Letters Patent. [lcz'al Gazette September 30, 1.941.]

RorATABLE BIN. Patent dated MayV 25 assignee, The Frick- 

